Myth or Monster Monday: The White River Monster

Hello, loves!

I've forgotten what a full night's sleep feels like. When my alarm went off this morning, I'd already been up four different times. Call me obsessive, but ever since SS got sick, I feel the overwhelming need to check on him every few hours just to make sure he's okay. He usually sleeps through my nightly checks, for which I'm infinitely grateful. I hate waking him up. No sense in both of us being cranky come morning.

Which I inevitably am. I hate mornings with a burning passion. I hate alarms. I hate getting out of bed. I hate getting dressed. I hate driving to work. The daily grind just irks me. So naturally, I wish Monday would just disappear forever. But since that's probably not going to happen anytime soon, I've decided to make this dreaded day of the week a little brighter by declaring it Myth or Monster Monday. On Mondays (when I can!), I'll post a myth or monster, and you guys get to participate too. Post your myth or monster of the week to your blog on Monday, then link it in the comments of the weekly post here, or email it for me to post for the rest of the Monday Hatin' Crew :)

Today's monster was prompted by something my dogs were watching on History Channel when I stopped at home for lunch. Yes, my dogs watch television. Don't judge. My eldest's health is failing, and she likes the t.v., so we let her watch it. She's the boss in this house.

Anyway! The show was about all those creatures that may or may not exist depending on who you ask. You know, Nessie, Big Foot, the Yeti, etc. This is one of those...

The White River Monster

Image of the submerging monster by Cloyce Warren, 1971.

I spent my teen years in a small town in Arkansas where sightings of the White River Monster originated. As the story goes, in the early 1900s, farmers in the area began to report sightings of a massive creature in and around the river.

It was reportedly three car lengths long, grey, with a bony protrusion from its forehead and smooth or peeling skin. The creature was spotted throughout the 1900s, and after a spate of sightings in the 1970s, the state legislator made it illegal to harm the mysterious monster unless it was trying to harm you first. Which makes me wonder how that ever became a concern. 

Theories on the actual identity of the creature range from a lost elephant seal to a mass of downed trees and branches, to something akin to Nessie. Having spent several years in the area, theres no telling what it actually was... but Jacksonville still proudly sports a sign declaring it the home of the White River Monster. And many of those in the area still believe the creature might have been Nessie's long lost kin.

Personally, I prefer the elephant seal theory. There is all kinds of stuff in that river. A lost elephant seal isn't too unbelievable. Nessie's kin, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about. :)

xoxo,

Ayden

FALL– The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KOBO. FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million

Spotlight: #EVADE by @JessaRusso #evertrilogy

Hello lovelies!

You guys probably remember how much I loved EVER by Jessa Russo. Today, I am very happy to shine the spotlight on EVADE, the newly released second book in the Ever Trilogy.

 

In this thrilling sequel, Ever Van Ruysdael's race to beat the odds—and the clock—begins with the introduction of an integral part of her past. As secrets are revealed, and truths uncovered, she learns her imminent death is the least of her problems: Ariadne did more than just put an expiration date on her life; she marked Ever's soul by upping its value for greedy collectors looking to buy their freedom.

Condemned by the countdown on her life, and hunted by hired Seekers, Ever’s journey leads her to question everything she’s known and everyone she’s trusted, while growing closer to the one person from her past she was determined to avoid—and the one guy she never could—Toby James.

With her ex-boyfriend by her side, and the countdown clock rapidly ticking away, Ever tries thwarting fate’s plans. But as her nineteenth birthday approaches, and desperate Seekers follow her every move, she may be too late.

A marked soul is hard to come by … and even harder to escape.

EVADE hit shelves on October 1st. You can grab your copy at Amazon. Don't forget to add it to your TBR list on Goodreads, too!

I haven't had a chance to dive into EVADE yet, but I cannot wait. :) In case you haven't read EVER yet (what are you waiting for?!), let's turn the spotlight on it for a minute as well. Trust me, you want to read this series.

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious. Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love.
Some girls lose their minds.
Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

EVER is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

About the Author:

An unashamed super fan of all things paranormal romance, Jessa Russo reads, writes and breathes paranormal YA, rarely straying from her comfort zone. When not writing or reading--or raising the coolest kid ever--Jessa enjoys making memories with her amazingly supportive family and friends, while secretly planning her next trip to New Orleans. She will always call Southern California home, where she lives with her husband and daughter, and a Great Dane who thinks he's the same size as his cranky sister, the Chihuahua.

You can learn more about Jessa and the EVER Trilogy at http://jessarusso.com. Or you can follow Jessa on Facebook or Twitter.

Teaser Tuesday: The Teplo Files

Hi lovelies!

Welcome to another installment of Teaser Tuesday! This teaser is from Ravish, or Revelations... I haven't quite decided on the official title yet. Either way, this story is a lot spicier than the Ragnarok Prophesies. It's a risque crime thriller, and it's probably one of my all-time favorite stories simply because so much went into writing it. I slaved over the research into Mexican cartels, and did a lot of arguing with everyone under the sun to keep it as realistic as possible. I think it paid off. The story is an intense ride through the grim reality of drug trafficking and addiction.

You don't see much of that research in this little teaser, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. :)

"Does it still hurt?" Alison asked.

"Not so much," Lillian said, noticing for the first time how she massaged her leg. She leaned back against the lumpy pillow, frowning. "I shouldn't have tried to twist like that."

"I'm sorry." Ali shot her a sympathetic smile.

"Me too," Lillian sighed.

"You know he's still in rehab." Ali slid the hair-tie from her hair and quickly redid the messy bun, not looking at Lillian.

"I know."

Lillian would never dance again. She might not ever walk normally again. And Marc got sentenced to rehab. It wasn’t fair, but Lillian didn't cry over it anymore. She couldn't. Being bitter didn't change anything. And hating Marc wouldn't make her feel better.

Sometimes, when she tried really hard, she actually believed that.

"What happened with this Tristan guy, Lil?" Ali asked.

Lillian bit her lip, and then sighed. "I met him at Teplo and things got . . . physical." Her cheeks burned. "I actually thought I liked him. And then he confronted me tonight, demanding to know who hired me, and if they paid me to let him . . . . I feel so stupid!"

"You aren't stupid."

"Aren't I?" Lillian blew out a breath and glanced over at her friend. "I had to find out from a complete stranger that the guy I . . . I let do things to me in the middle of a club is a DEA agent. I didn't even know his last name, and I almost slept with him!"

"Why did you?" Alison asked, not prying for more information into what Lillian meant by things. "I mean, I've known you a long time, Lil, and you don't do things like that. Why was he different?"

Wasn't that the million dollar question?

Fade - The Ragnarok Prophesies: Book One - On Sale at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million

FALL - The Ragnarok Prophesies: Book Two #Excerpt

How do you save someone who doesn't want to be saved?

Those called to stand guard against the end are broken, and Sköll and Hati run free. Now Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews face a threat unlike any before. Ragnarök is coming and they aren't strong enough to stop it.

Arionna thought she understood sacrifice, but she never counted on her destiny tearing Dace apart. Ever since she nearly died, he has been consumed with guilt. Now it threatens to turn him into the monster he always feared.

It's up to Arionna to stop him before it's too late, but the path to hell is paved with good intentions, and Dace is hurtling toward self destruction. This time, Arionna isn't sure she can save him from himself. Can she convince him to let the past go, or is her true destiny to sacrifice her heart in exchange for the lives of the people she loves?

EXCERPT:

"I want a gun." I blurted the thought I'd been quietly playing with for days.

Three sets of wide eyes settled on me, making it evident Dace hadn't homed in on that particular line of thought before now. No one said anything for a long moment as they processed my confession.

"It's not a bad idea," Ronan said then.

"Are you kidding me?" Dace yelled at the same time my dad said, "Absolutely not!"

I cringed as they both turned to glare daggers at Ronan.

So much for forestalling another argument.

"She can't protect herself like this," Ronan said, a lot more calmly than I would have with Dace and my dad both looking like they were ready to throw a punch. Ronan jerked his chin in my direction as if to illustrate his point.

Dace growled aloud at the reminder that I needed help to walk across the room.

"She's smart enough to use a gun safely," Ronan said, eying Dace levelly.

I don't think Dace scared him in the least. Lucky Ronan. When Dace growled at me, I wanted to hide beneath the covers. I knew he'd never hurt me, but reconciling fierce alpha Dace with scared boyfriend Dace was an exercise in futility, and I'd given up trying. There were two sides to him. Two very different, very confusing sides.

"I've made it through forty-four years without bringing a gun into my home to protect my family," Dad said, his voice soft and intractable at once. "I won't bring one in now."

Ronan arched a brow at me as if to ask if I was going to let them make this decision for me.

I squared my shoulders.

"You're not getting a gun, Arionna." Dad cut me off before I could even speak up in my defense. He looked at me, expression firm. "End of discussion."

Dace nodded an agreement, a smug edge to the emotions he sent filtering through to me.

I huffed, narrowing my eyes at both of them. "I'm an adult, you know."

"You'll always be my daughter."

"This should be my decision."

"Why?" Dace asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "It's a bad idea."

"Says you," I muttered, turning my face away from him and all of his superiority and smugness. Men were irritating.

"And virtually every shooting related news article ever written," he retorted, refusing to be cowed that easily. He placed his hand on my arm. "Accidents happen, Arionna. Guns discharge. People die. I won't let that be you."

I opened my mouth to argue… and stopped short when something flickered in his mind. Images coalesced one after another, freezing me in my tracks.

Blood ran in rivulets across a white, tile floor.

A hazy figure gaped at the gun in his hand, his mouth moving as if he were speaking.

Familiar, green eyes stared vacantly.

A black bag zipped over a body.

The images were brief, no more than split second flashes, there and gone as quickly as they appeared, but sorrow ripped through Dace like claws tearing through flesh.

I cried out, stunned by the sudden, intense pain.

Dace’s hand fell from my arm.

"What was that?" I asked, still swaying beneath the dizzying cloud spinning through me even without physical contact. Black spots swam before my eyes.

Dace didn't say anything.

"Dace?" I blinked away the spots swimming in my vision, forcing myself to focus on him. "What was that?"

He met my gaze, his expression bleak. His mouth twisted. The haunted look in his eyes deepened. "My father."

"You were there?" I whispered. Dace's dad was killed in a robbery right after Dace's fourteenth birthday. I knew that. But I hadn't known…. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged a shoulder.

A soft, mournful sigh whispered through me, coming from Freki.

 

* * *

 

You can read the official prologue to FALL here.

FALL– The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KOBO.

 

xoxo,

Ayden

And don't forget: FADE - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book One is also available at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million

It's FALL's Release Day! #newrelease #teamapocalypse #fantasy

Hello lovelies,

If you haven't been keeping up with the hijinks on my social media accounts, I am very proud to announce that it's FALL's Release Day! The books is now available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

I'm very excited to say that you guys have bumped FALL up to the Top 20 in Mythology. Yay! I hope we can keep the momentum going by sharing the buy links on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere. Remember, if you use the #teamapocalypse hashtag on Twitter, you can keep up with what others are saying about FALL. :)

The Release Day Party was today, and you guys are invited to stop by the page and check out all the fun things that occurred. We're party animals so the page hasn't died yet. :)

I am very pleased to announce that the FALL Reader Charity of Choice is the Spina Bifida Association. You guys turned out to vote in spades, and it was darn close, but Spina Bifida Association pulled ahead during the 11th hour. I am very excited to help support this amazing organization over the coming months, and will be looking for opportunities for everyone to get involved!

I'd also like to announce that Lindsey V. won the Cover Reveal Giveaway. Congratulations, Linsey!

Have you guys bought FALL yet? Some of you crazy, lovely people have already finished it! I need to borrow some of your magics! :)

Don't forget to add FALL to your TBR on Goodreads!

xoxo,

Ayden

Fall - The Ragnarok Prophesies: Book Two - Now available at Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Fade - The Ragnarok Prophesies: Book One - On Sale at: Amazon US | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Books-a-Million